Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst dies at 30

Cheslie Kryst, the 2019 winner of the Miss USA competition and a correspondent on Extra, has died. She was 30.

The New York Police Department confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Kryst died by suicide, and her body was discovered Sunday morning outside her Manhattan condominium building.

In a statement, Kryst's family said her "great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed, and she shined. Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA, and as a host on Extra. But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor, and colleague — we know her impact will live on."

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Kryst, who represented North Carolina at Miss USA, earned her MBA and law degree from Wake Forest University. She also sat on the National Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and was an ambassador and model for Express.

Explore More

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.